A lot of the time, people tend to think of HIV/AIDS in terms of very specific locations around the world. Africa is home to staggering numbers of people living with HIV/AIDS and is usually the first country that comes to mind when thinking about AIDS. However, HIV/AIDS exists in countries all over the world, including the US. Below are ten facts about HIV/AIDS in the U.S. about which many don’t know.

1. More than 1.1 million people are living with HIV infection in the U.S. 18.1% of the infected population is unaware they have an infection.

2. Men who engage in sexual activity with other men hold the most serious risk of contracting HIV. Within this group, young African American men are the most affected.

3. In 2010, the number of new HIV infections among homosexual men was 29,800, a 12% increase from the year 2008.

4. Every state in the US has had cases of HIV/AIDS diagnosed.

5. In the U.S., someone becomes infected with HIV every 9.5 minutes.

6. Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began, an estimated 636,000 people in the U.S. have died because of it.

7. With an estimated 50,000 U.S. citizens being diagnosed every year, the HIV/AIDS statistic for new diagnoses in the U.S. remains relatively stable over the years.

8. In 2010, the percentage of new HIV infections brought on by injection drug users was 8%.

9. Though African-Americans represent only 12% of the U.S. population, they claimed 44% of all HIV infections in 2010.

10. The first case of AIDS in the U.S. was reported in June 1981.

– Chante Owens

Sources: Do Something,Centers for Disease Control and PreventionPhoto: US Department of State